Improvement in grass-harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

WILLlAh'Id-HANNING, OF SOUTH TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

rMPRovi-:MENT IN GRASS-HARVESTERS; f

spariti-ation formingpn-ri fr Letters Patent No. 913s. dated July/U,S52.

` 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3 the cutting` vhead with the topremoved.

In each of these gures, where like parts are shown they are designatedby the same letters of reference.

My invention relates to certain improvements inanow'ng or grass-cuttingmachines.

1n the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a plan or top view,- Fig. 2,' aside elevation,

and Fig. 3 the cutting-head with the top re` moved.

The same letters refer to like parts in each ot these figures.

' The manner ot' collecting and discharging the eut grain consists inthe use and adaptation of an endless band or apron, g, provided f withteeth or tin gers h, rotating on two vertical rollers, z Ii, immediatelyabove and over the knives or cutters, but -independent of them. Therollers have their lower bearings'in each A end ofthe top plate of thecutting-head, and

their upper bearings in a metal rod, q, extending the width ot'cutting-head, and said rod is steadied and braced by braces w fw, whichserve the double purposeot' keeping the rollers vertical, and by theirflexibility allow the cut-V ting-head to be raised or lowered by thelever s and rods a u when itis desired to alter the angle of the cutterswith the ground.

a a. are the driving-wheels, which are attached to the main axle, whichis in the rear end of the machine. These wheels have cogs -cnt on theirperipheries a few inches below or inside of their outer eircumferences.Meshing into these cogs are two small pinions, c 0, firmly attached tothe shafts of the doublegrooved pulley-wheels b b', which shafts havepulleys g g on the rollers t' c'.

their bearings in the frame-timbers a: and

around said grooved wheels are two sets cf cords, b d, passing fromthence lover pulleys' pp, under pulleys h' h', and around the pulleys lot' the knives or cutters, the pulleys 4 on the bottom ot" thecutting-head, and around Thus the desired rotary motion is given to theknives and endless apron from the main driving-wheels.

To keep a proper tension on the cords b and d, I provide movable boxesfor the pulleys p p, so that by the action of weights ttthe pulleyspress against said cords and keep them constantly taut. This plan ofgearingy the knives or cutters and endless band with the drivin gwheelsI have found to be the best.

The manner of sustaining the cutting-head and front part ofthe machinewithout the aid ot' front wheels consists in constructing the.frame-,timbers .fr m very light, but of stron g ina'- terial, andbracing them to the axle with metai rodsam?, and jointing the tongue l,to theend of which the neck-yokeis attached, inthe center of the mainshaft or aille, and swinging the neck-yoke m, by chains, from the hainesof the harness, and the cutting-head' from the neckyoke, also by chainso o, which chains can be taken up or let out, so as to raise or lowerthe cutting-head, according to the description of grain to be cut.

The cutting-head is suspended on pivots in the metal pieces 5 5 on theend of the side timbers rra, and rising from the top of thecuttiilg-head at each end are arms r r, jointed to which are'rodsl u u,extending to the rear end ot' the machine, and there the rods u u are`iointed to a br and lever, e, the levers having its fnl` crum eu themain axle. This lever sis convenient to the operator or farmer, by whichhe can raise or depress the cutting-head on its pivots, so as toregulate the angle of the cut ters with the ground as desired, and thuspass over stumps, stones, or other obstructions which may be upon thesurface of the ground.

The advantages of this machine over lmany others I conceive to benumerous. Among the .f most important maybe mentioned its lightness,

consequently,requiring but little power to 2 @was Irv'cit7a11ditselicicn l'. um u m z'ml pended from ik@ shnnlaler n?" the. Lfmnmls pmmzdattaching the cuttl'n pellig' it, it is easily guided :zml ,LgOVc-zned.`.f Having;- thus fully dscribm my nventiam, what I claim as new, anddesir@ 'in sueur@ hy Leters Patent, s-m v uspending the cnttix'lgdxwd:1nd fiont part m" 'the machine, whereby dis-pense with frei-::

bei-iig suswbuls, by Constructing th@ frame nsHes-bed,

gg-head to the Dames of the harness, in the manner and for the purmscherein fully sfrt fort-h.

XVI DLIM- MANNIG.

. Witnosses: LUCIE-:N E. KING,

GEO. R. WEST.

